Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – March 8-14

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! It was again an eventful week in the USA, despite the still-active virus attack.

Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news, new partnerships and compliance updates. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Allied Esports Entertainment has confirmed that it has received an unsolicited proposal from Bally’s Corporation to acquire all of the outstanding equity interests of the Company for a total consideration of $100 million, payable, at the Company’s option, in cash, Bally’s capital stock, or a combination of both. The Bally’s proposal would require the Company to terminate its previously announced agreement with Element Partners to sell all of the equity interests of Club Services, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, for consideration totalling $78,250,000.

PlayUp has launched its online sports betting app in Colorado. The application offers an easy and simple sports betting interface and options aimed at the casual user. Once users set up their account and log in, they are just three clicks away from placing a bet. As part of its entry into the U.S. market, PlayUp is now offering attractive bonus offers. All new players will get a 200% bonus on first bets, whether they win or lose. Also, all newly registered users will get a free $20 bet.

MGM Resorts International and BetMGM have announced a unified commitment to promote responsible gaming. This comes as MGM Resorts and BetMGM join the National Council on Problem Gambling in promoting Problem Gambling Awareness Month throughout March. As part of the new joint-initiative, BetMGM and MGM Resorts’ employees will participate in a weekly educational series provided by EPIC Risk designed to provide employees with unique and diverse perspectives on problem gambling and insight into how operators can play an important role in problem gambling prevention.

Partnerships

Bally’s Corporation has become an Authorised Sports Betting Operator of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The deal represents Bally’s second sports betting partnership with a professional sports league, following its previously announced official sports betting partnership with the National Hockey League. This partnership will provide Bally’s with access to official league data, as well as rights to use official NBA marks and logos across the Company’s expanding portfolio of online sports betting products.

Major League Rugby (MLR) has announced an exclusive official sports betting data and betting streaming partnership with Genius Sports Group (GSG). MLR has granted GSG the exclusive rights to capture, manage and distribute the League’s official data with sportsbooks across North America and worldwide. Through its 24/7 bet monitoring, educational workshops and model rules and regulations, GSG will help provide MLR with a leading integrity programme to help protect the fairness and transparency of its matches.

Esports organisation Gen.G has joined forces with the University of Kentucky to host the “University of Kentucky Esports Invitational.” Auburn University, Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University, University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, University of Mississippi, University of Missouri and University of Tennessee will compete in the invitational. The Invitational is the first time that all of the schools will be competing in the same esports tournament.

Boyd Gaming Corporation and FanDuel Group have announced their plans to launch Stardust-branded online casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, marking the iconic gaming brand’s return to real-money gaming. FanDuel and Boyd Gaming anticipate launching the Stardust casinos in April, pending final regulatory approval from each state. FanDuel plans to rebrand its existing Betfair Casino in New Jersey under Boyd Gaming’s Stardust brand, while launching a Stardust online casino in Pennsylvania.

Compliance Updates

The Georgia Senate has approved a bill that could legalise online sports betting in the state. The full chamber passed Senate Resolution 135, which would ask voters if Georgia should allow online sports wagering in the state. The resolution to amend the state’s Constitution, which needed support from two-thirds of the chamber’s 56 members, passed 41-10. Senators also voted 34-17 to approve Senate Bill 142, which regulates how sports betting would be conducted in the state. SR 135 and SB 142 now go to the House for their consideration.